1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to the field of building construction and, more particularly, to connections between a non-load bearing stud wall and a mounting track that is secured to an overhead structure.
2. Related Art
A typical wall to overhead structure connection is an inverted U-shaped longitudinal mounting track or slip track that receives studs between the legs of the U-shaped track. A wall cladding member is attached to at least one side of the studs. One of the legs of the mounting track is received between the studs and the wall cladding material. A top surface of the studs and wall cladding member are spaced from the overhead structure in order to allow for settling or other movement of the overhead structure (sometimes referred to as the roof or floor deck) with respect to the wall.
Various structures and materials may be used to seal the space between the top surface of the studs and wall cladding member and the overhead structure for purposes of providing an appropriate fire rating. Known sealing structures and materials have several drawbacks. For example, the use of a sealant and filling material is typically useful for very small gaps in applications where small amounts of movement between the overhead structure and the wall are possible. A sealant and filling material is susceptible to deterioration and fatigue over repeated cycles of movement, which may result in loss of the necessary fire rating., Known sealing structures, such as the slip track assembly disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,471,805 and 5,755,066, are complex systems that require large amounts of material at a relatively high cost. Thus, a simple, cost effecting sealing structure that provides an appropriate fire rating and provides a positive attachment between the studs and the mounting or slip track would be an important advance in the art.